How to make a short range, remote-controlled electromagnet?

[Alex Schmitt]

I am currently working on my high school's upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast. In the musical, there is a rose which loses petals at specific moments in the script that represent the castle's inhabitants slowly becoming less human. I figured that one of the best ways to do this remotely would be with electromagnets that could be individually controlled by simple switches offstage. The problem is, no one in the crew or tech team knows anything about electrical circuits or physics including me, although I probably know the most.

I essentially need to build an assembly with about five magnets that can be released independently throughout the play. The "rose" will be around twelve inches wide and there will probably only be a six or so inch cavity in the center for all the mechanisms as well a three foot column that the rose will be placed on. The person controlling their release will be about 15' away.

I appreciate any help you can give me and if you don't think I am capable of completing this project with my little knowledge on the topic, please tell me so and I'll try to find a better solution. The budget is preferably $100 if possible. Thanks!

 

[anorlunda]

You don't need to make your own. An electromagnet that moves a plunger rod is called a solenoid. Solenoids of many times can be found by Internet search, or on Ebay or Amazon. Activating the solenoid remotely can move the plunger and release a petal.

I recommend a low voltage solenoid because that would be safer. You could power it with a 6 volt lantern battery. You should not try to make your own 120V AC circuits.

 

[jrmichler]

A good source for both solenoids and electromagnets is McMaster-Carr: www.mcmaster.com. Digikey has low cost solenoids: www.digikey.com.

Or maybe you could hang each petal from a pin, then retract the pin by pulling a string.

Or go over to the physics class, find a girl, and use some version of a "helpless male" routine.

 

[Windadct]

Just FYI - this prop can be bought or http://www.stagemonkeydesign.com/rentals/prop-rental/beauty-and-the-beast/enchanted-rose.html for less than $100... since it is important to the story you want it to work well. I know know this because our HS did this last year...

The petals I believe are to actually fall off the rose, so maybe hack some little relays, and have the petals held in the contacts?